> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-+-++/modules/bx-word/import-export.md). # Import & Export Import and export Word documents to and from text, Markdown, and HTML formats Convert Word documents to and from text, Markdown, and HTML formats. *** ## Importing Content ### From Plain Text Split paragraphs on double newlines: ```js text = "Line one\n\nLine two\n\nLine three" // Via BIF argument word( text=text ).save( "from-text.docx" ) // Via instance method (appends to existing document) word( "template.docx" ) .fromText( text ) .save( "appended.docx" ) ``` ### From Markdown Uses CommonMark parsing — supports headings, paragraphs, lists, code blocks, blockquotes, links, and thematic breaks: ```js markdown = " ## Introduction This is a paragraph with **bold** and *italic* text. - Item 1 - Item 2 - Item 3 > A blockquote `inline code` " // Via BIF argument word( markdown=markdown ).save( "from-markdown.docx" ) // Via instance method word().fromMarkdown( markdown ).save( "from-markdown.docx" ) ``` ### From HTML Uses Jsoup parsing — supports headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, images, links, and basic formatting: ```js html = "

Title

Hello World

Item 1
Item 2

" // Via BIF argument word( html=html ).save( "from-html.docx" ) // Via instance method word().fromHTML( html ).save( "from-html.docx" ) ``` ### Supported HTML Elements | HTML Element | Word Output | | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | | `

`–`

` | Heading (level 1–6) | | `

` | Paragraph | | `
` | New line | | ``, `` | Bold text | | ``, `` | Italic text | | `

` | Unordered (bulleted) list | | `
` | Ordered (numbered) list | | `
` | List item (supports nesting) | | ``, ``, `
`, ` ` | Table | | `` | Hyperlink | | `` | Image (base64 data URIs supported) | | `
`, `` | Monospace paragraph | | `` | Indented, italic paragraph | | `` | Page break | *** ## Exporting Content ### To Plain Text Extracts all visible text including tables (tab-separated), headers, and footers: ```js doc = word( "report.docx" ) plainText = doc.toText() ``` **Output example:** ``` Report Title Introduction paragraph. Further details. Product Price Stock Widget A $10.00 150 Widget B $15.00 200 [Header] Company Confidential [Footer] Page 1 ``` {% hint style="info" %} Table cells are separated by tabs (`\t`). Headers and footers are prefixed with `[Header]` and `[Footer]` markers. {% endhint %} ### To Markdown Converts to Markdown with: * YAML front matter (title, author, subject from document properties) * `#` headings with proper level * Pipe-delimited tables * `**bold**` / `*italic*` formatting * Base64-embedded images * Blockquoted headers and footers ```js doc = word( "report.docx" ) markdown = doc.toMarkdown() ``` **Output example:** ```markdown --- title: "Q4 Report" author: "Jane Doe" --- # Report Title Introduction paragraph. | Product | Price | Stock | | --- | --- | --- | | Widget A | $10.00 | 150 | | Widget B | $15.00 | 200 | > **Header:** Company Confidential > **Footer:** Page 1 ``` ### To HTML Converts to a full HTML document with: * Semantic heading tags (``–` `) * Standard `` structure with ``/`` * Inline styles for bold, italic, color, size, and font family * Base64-embedded images * `` elements for headers and footers ```js doc = word( "report.docx" ) html = doc.toHTML() ``` **Output example:** ```html Q4 Report Report Title Introduction paragraph. Product Price Stock Widget A $10.00 150 Header: Company Confidential Footer: Page 1 ``` *** ## Format Conversion Pipeline Chain import and export for format conversion: ```js // HTML → Word → Markdown html = " Article Content with bold text." markdown = word( html=html ).toMarkdown() // # Article // // Content with **bold** text. // Markdown → Word → HTML md = "## Hello\n\nWorld" html = word( markdown=md ).toHTML() // Text → Word → Markdown text = "Title\n\nParagraph one\n\nParagraph two" md = word( text=text ).toMarkdown() ``` *** ## Fidelity Notes {% hint style="warning" %} Not all formatting is perfectly preserved in round-trip conversions. Key considerations: {% endhint %} | Direction | Preserved | Lost | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | | Word → Text | Visible text, table structure | All formatting, images, headers | | Word → Markdown | Headings, tables, bold/italic, images (base64) | Exact font/size/color, custom styles | | Word → HTML | Headings, tables, bold/italic, colors, fonts, images (base64) | Custom paragraph spacing, section breaks | | Markdown → Word | Headings, paragraphs, lists, bold/italic, code, links, blockquotes | Embedded images become links | | HTML → Word | Headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, bold, links, base64 images | CSS classes, external stylesheets | | Text → Word | Paragraph structure (double-newline split) | All formatting | *** ## 📚 Related Resources {% content-ref url="/pages/WMQYJvEgzLExmynBiaXX" %} [User Guide](/boxlang-+-++/modules/bx-word/user-guide.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/mIZPtdj5j0GmykFjiNRz" %} [Formatting](/boxlang-+-++/modules/bx-word/formatting.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/RXgrFl2M6vqh1dMUnLI1" %} [Fluent API](/boxlang-+-++/modules/bx-word/fluent-api.md) {% endcontent-ref %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-+-++/modules/bx-word/import-export.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.